Is Crystallized Honey Safe To Eat?

The natural sweetness and subtle flavor of honey have enhanced recipes from baked goods to drinks for thousands of years. However, many people have reached for the jar of honey only to find the formerly clear, smooth substance has crystallized. With any significant change in the texture or color of food, it's understandable to wonder whether it's still safe to eat. However, in the case of honey, the answer is a clear, resounding yes.

To understand why honey crystallizes, it's important to understand what honey is at its core. Honey is a collection of natural sugars such as fructose and glucose, which are dissolved in a very small amount of water, creating the thick yet semi-liquid texture it's known for. When you find crystals in your honey, this is a result of the sugars separating from the water, which leads to a grainier texture. Other than this texture and the honey's appearance, it remains the same from a flavor and safety perspective.

Fortunately, it's an easy fix in any case. Gently heating the jar or bottle briefly in hot water can help the sugars and water recombine into the pourable, smooth character you likely recognize. Conversely, cooler is better for long-term storage, as temperatures around 50 degrees Fahrenheit can delay crystallization.

This crystallization is typically a much more common problem with raw or unpasteurized honey. The pasteurization and processing remove pollen grains, natural yeasts, and other trace compounds created by bees and the pollen they've consumed. This makes it more resistant to crystallizing, although all honey can do so under the right conditions.

In reality, it's very rare for properly stored honey to become truly unsafe to eat due to the qualities noted above. In some cases, honey dating back thousands of years discovered by archaeologists has been found to be safe and edible.

However, the idea that it doesn't start to lose quality over time is a false fact about honey that many think is true. This begins to happen after about a year. It's also vital to recognize the signs that honey truly has gone bad, which include sour or fermented odors, an off taste, or the presence of any visible mold. So, if you reach for your jar of honey for one of our dozens of honey-based recipes and find some crystals, don't despair. Your honey is still safe to eat and usable for whatever you're craving.